National writer excludes Michigan State football from Top 25 for Nebraska

One national writer doesn’t believe Michigan State football is a Top 25 team heading into the season, but apparently, Nebraska is.

The 2022 season is almost upon us and that means the preseason AP Top 25 is about to be released and Michigan State football fans have high hopes.

Most early projections have the Spartans ranked in that 10-15 range which seems about right since they finished the 2021 season ranked No. 9. Going 11-2 and winning a New Year’s Six bowl has to conjure up some sort of respect, right?

Apparently not from everyone.

In fact, national college football writer Brett McMurphy posted his votes for the 2022 preseason AP Top 25. His top 10 looked fine, but it was the 10-25 range that was mind-bloggling.

McMurphy is one of the more respected writers in the college football world, but these votes are just wild. Outside of the top 10, he ranked Wisconsin No. 15, Penn State No. 16, Iowa No. 21, and Nebraska No. 25. He ranked three teams from the Big Ten West ahead of Michigan State. Insane.

According to McMurphy, Michigan State is the seventh-best team in the Big Ten, at best, heading into the 2022 season.

Nebraska, a 3-9 team a year ago, is ranked ahead of Michigan State.

Michigan State, which returns a record-breaking quarterback, All-Big Ten receiver, elite linebacking corps, and top-tier defensive line from last year, is apparently not good enough to be ranked after going 11-2 last year with a Peach Bowl win over McMurphy’s No. 19 team (Pitt).

Sure, Pitt might be just as good as it was a year ago and so might the three Big Ten teams ranked ahead of the Spartans who they beat last year, but Michigan State didn’t get any worse.

Losing Kenneth Walker III hurts, but every other position group is deeper and more talented.

Add a chip to that shoulder.